Gary Hunter Wrote:
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> Bridge Inspector: Can you be more specific about
> which bridges on the Santa Cruz branch will not
> support the weight of a Pacific? I forget the
> exact count, but I seem to recall there are more
> than twenty bridges (27?) on the branch of varying
> dates of construction and design style. Limits
> can be overall weight and/or axle load. SP
> routinely ran SD-9s and even -at least once-an
> SD-45 on the branch. I know someone will correct
> me if I'm wrong, but I seem to recall that an SD-9
> and GS-4 were suprisingly equivalent in at least
> axle loading, not sure about overall weight.
> Since virtually all of the bridges are due for
> maintenance and/or eq retrofit, it would be
> interesting to see an inventory of the bridges and
> their capacities, and what improvements are
> possible, with associated cost. I have assumed a
> Pacific would barely squeak on the extant weight
> limits, but most likely not a 4-8-4. Are all of
> the bridges functioning at their design limit, or
> are some impaired? Remember that SP used to
> doublehead Consolidations and Ten-wheelers, which
> makes overall weight capacity seem ballpark to a
> single 4-6-2. Without considering economic
> feasibility, it's an appealing fantasy to consider
> the branch friendly to all but articulated steam
> power.


Gary,

UP restricted the Santa Cruz Branch Line to cars with a gross weight of 268,000 lbs or less. The plan for 2013 is to rehabilitate and/or repair the bridges to safely support 286,000 pound railcars at a reasonable operating level. I see SP 2472 weighs 297,800 lb. Unless the bridges are upgraded for a higher loading, it looks like SP 2472 will not be able to operate on the branch line.

Howard